Automatic conveyer lubricator



Aug. 18, 1942'. s. TUHY AiJTOMATIC CONVEYER LUBRICATOR Filed Sept. 1'7, 1941 Q MN N Q Q Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,293,578 AUTOMATIC CONVEYER LUBRICAT'OR Stefan P. Tuhy, Bolton, 111. Application September 17, 1941, Serial No. 411,129

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a device for automatically oiling the rollers, links, rods and wheels of a continuous conveyer mechanism.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a means for automatically supplying the proper amount of oil to the parts of the conveyer mechanism which need recurrent lubrication, to provide an oil supply which is controllable as to amount, so as to provide the flow of only the necessary amount of oilto avoid waste, to provide a construction which ceases to supply oil as soon as the conveyer stops moving, so as to prevent costly leakage, and such other objects, advantages, and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of my invention, yet I desire it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without depart ing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my automatic conveyer lubricator; Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig, 3 is an enlarged detailed top plan view of my automatic conveyer lubricator with parts broken away and in section to show my oiling means; Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of my oil cylinders and Fig. 5 is a detailed view of my link construction.

The conveyer mechanism selected to illustrate my invention comprises a track It] upon which are mounted wheels I I. Wheels II are attached to supports I2, which are in turn fastened to rods I3 and links I 4. lower links I4 are rollers I5 through which rods I3 extend vertically. This comprises the conveyer mechanism to whichthe goods are attached.

The embodiment of my automatic oiling device selected to illustrate my invention comprises a reservoir I5, which is supported by legs II. Legs H are fastened to platform I8 by means of bolts I9. Platform I8 is mounted on top of conveyer track In by bolts 59.

An oil line 23 is attached at one end to reservoir I6 and at the other end, by connector 22, to valve housing 2|. Valve housing 2I contains an inlet valve 30, which permits the flow of oil into cylinder 23. Cylinder 23 is mounted below reservoir It, on top of track I0. Cylinder 23 is adapted to hold the quantity of oil needed to oil the conveyer mechanism. Below inlet valve 38 and extending from cylinder 23 is outlet valve 29, which permits the flow of oil from cylinder 23 Placed between upper and through oil line to the conveyer mechanism.

The flow of oil is controlled by means of piston 24, which is contained within cylinder 23. Piston 24 is normally held at the back of cylinder 23 by means of coil spring 25. Piston 24 is adapted, however, to move forward into cylinder 23 when actuated through the movement of trip member 21.

Trip member 21 is normally held in the path of rollers I 5 of the conveyer mechanism by means of braces 52, which are fastened to track I0, and also by coil spring 25. Cross bar 53 extends across the bottom of track I9 between braces 52. Trip member 27 is adapted to move rod 5| and cause piston 24 to move forward into cylinder 23. Rod 51 is movably attached to cross bar 53.

In operation, trip member 21 is struck by roller I5 and is moved outwardly by roller I5. This causes rod 5| to turn outwardly at its base and by means of linkage 3! to move piston 24 into cylinder 23 against the pressure of coil spring 25. The pressure created in cylinder 23 causes inlet valve 30 to close and outlet valve 29 to open, thus permitting the flow of oil out of cylinder 23 through outlet valve 29 and oil line 69 onto rods I 3, links I4, and rollers I5. The actuation of trip member 21 is so timed that the oil will flow out of oil line 69 at the time that the parts to be oiled are directly below it.

Coil spring 25 then moves piston 24 backwardly in cylinder 23 and trip member 21 moves back into the path of rollers I 5. The backward movement of piston 24 in cylinder 23 causes a vacuum which closes outlet valve 29 and opens inlet valve 33, thus permitting the flow of oil from reservoir I6 through line 29 and into cylinder 23 for the next lubrication.

In supplying the oil to rods I3, links I4, and rollers I5, it is necessary either to drill a hole through track I0 and run the oil line through that hole or to insert the oil from the side. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing I show a means for supplying the oil from the side without drilling through track In by providing a lip 49 on one side of each link l4. This lip 40 receives the oil from oil line 50 and causes it to flow to rod I3 and roller I5, as well as link I4.

The device described above provides for the automatic oiling of the rods, links, and rollers of the conveyer mechanism. Oil must also be supplied to wheels II in order to assure proper operation of the conveyer mechanism. For this purpose, I provide a second oil line 6|, which is attached at one end to oil reservoir I6, and

at the other end to valve housing 62, which contains an inlet valve 63, which is adapted to permit the flow of oil into cylinder 36. Cylinder 36 is mounted on track I0, below oil reservoir 16 and adjacent to cylinder 23. Directly below inlet valve 63 and leading from cylinder 36 is outlet valve 31, which is connected to oil line 38. Oil line 38 leads to the top of track II], in which are drilled holes 39. Oil flowing through oil line 38 goes through holes 39 and oils wheels ll'.

Cylinder 36 contains a piston 43, which is 01 erated by means of rod 34 and trip pin. 33. Piston 43 is held in normal backward position in cylinder 36 by coil springs 65. Trip pin 33 is normally in the path of wheels ll, but is adapted to move upon contact with one of the wheels H and cause the movement of rod 34 and piston 43. The movement of piston 43 in cylinder 36 operates in the same manner as the piston and cylinder described earlier.

My complete device in operation provides a completely automatic and safe method of oiling a conveyer mechanism. The amount of oil held and discharged by oil cylinders 23 and 36 may be controlled either by adjusting the tension of springs 25 and 65, so as to shorten the stroke of the pistons, or by inserting a block in cylinders 23 and 35, so as to prevent the full backward movement of the pistons. In this way, the oiling device may be regulated so that the proper amount of oil will be applied to each link, rod and roller and each wheel automatically. My oiling device is also so constructed that if the conveyer mechanism should stop, the oiling device will also stop and little or no oil will be wasted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a conveyer system having a track, wheels traveling on said track, supports attached at one end to said wheels and at the other end to rods and upper links, said rods extending through rollers to lower links, and means at tached to said rods or links for holding goods to be conveyed, oiling means comprising a reservoir mounted on said track, a cylinder mounted on said track beneath said reservoir, an oil line leading from said reservoir to said cylinder, said cylinder having inlet and outlet valves, a piston positioned within said cylinder and adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder, tension means adapted to hold said piston normally in outward position, said tension means adapted to move said piston outwardly within said cylinder to create a vacuum within said cylinder, to open said inlet valve and close said outlet valve, thus causing the flow of oil from said reservoir through said oil line into said cylinder, an oil tube leading from said cylinder to a point above said rods, links and rollers, braces attached at one end to the upper side of said track and converging downwardly to meet at a point beside said rollers, a trip member pivotally attached to said joined braces, a cross bar attached to the lower side of said track and at each end to one of said braces, a rod attached to said trip member at its lower end, and attached by linkage to said piston at its upper end, said rod being movably attached to said cross bar, said trip member being normally held in the path of said rollers by said braces and said piston tension means, said trip member adapted to move upon the passage of said rollers, said trip member thus causing said rod and said linkage to move said piston within said cylinder to create pressure within said cylinder to close said inlet valve and open said outlet valve, thus causing the oil within said cylinder to flow through said oil tube onto said rods, links and rollers as they pass beneath the end of said oil tube.

STEFAN P. TUHY. 

